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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 26, 2015 18:53:19 GMT
Scaly mites you can't see with the naked eye. Feather mites are red. These might be bird lice though it is very rare in budgies and other indoor birds. Do you know if the birds ever housed in an outdoor aviary or near pigeons – perhaps at the breeder? These budgies I rehomed from a lady who had a massive outdoor Avery she rehomed them bred them and sold them on! We got them at the end of June. Apparently she sells to our local jolleys store too.... we do live on a third floor flat and get alot of pigeon feathers in our lounge and bedroom And the birds have (had) free range of the lounge. I'm an old clean freak and I keep my house and pets clean! I'm literally pulling my hair out because I can't cope with the fact we have a parasite!
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Post by yasmin on Sept 26, 2015 18:56:45 GMT
I just read that these lice are species-specific so, theoretically, they should not cause a problem for your degus. (However, that would not explain your symptoms.) According the site www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/mites.html (5th paragraph from the bottom/10th from the top) the Ivermectin your vet prescribed should work.
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Post by yasmin on Sept 26, 2015 19:12:15 GMT
These budgies I rehomed from a lady who had a massive outdoor Avery she rehomed them bred them and sold them on! We got them at the end of June. Apparently she sells to our local jolleys store too.... we do live on a third floor flat and get alot of pigeon feathers in our lounge and bedroom And the birds have (had) free range of the lounge. I'm an old clean freak and I keep my house and pets clean! I'm literally pulling my hair out because I can't cope with the fact we have a parasite! That could explain it. (Though not sure how they can say bird lice are species specific – just might be bird specific.) I went through the same paranoia when my birds were infected with scaly leg mites. I had a second outbreak a few months later but just treated the birds that had it for sure again and I haven't had an outbreak since. Knowing the life cycle of the pest should help counter the freak-out as well as knowing for sure if it can or cannot be transmitted to humans/degus.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 26, 2015 19:26:45 GMT
I have very sensitive skin! And last night I did for sure have these things crawling on me but I have been using the blanket I cover the birds woth to keep me warm in the evening hence why they would be on me! So lice wouldn't spread to the degus then? I've treated them all already just In case... I'm new to birds and know nothing of any parasites they have. ( I have posted on the budgie forum and got very unhelpful replies basically saying I'm being paranoid and I've picked up scabies from goats!!!! I haven't been in contact with Goats.) where would I find lice life cycles...
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Post by bouncy on Sept 26, 2015 22:49:51 GMT
I don't know, I go to a wedding......... You're right, your darker goo in the first photo really does look a bit miffed! I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if the mites don't bother the goos, there's nothing to stop them breeding in their habitat, especially if you wrap yourself in that blanket and then cuddle the goos. I've had moths appear in my gerbil burrows before, and I found out the person I bought my place from had cats when the eggs in the carpets produced fleas that had a preference for me. As for the camping, it's bloody chilly out there tonight
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 26, 2015 23:59:15 GMT
I don't know, I go to a wedding......... You're right, your darker goo in the first photo really does look a bit miffed! I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if the mites don't bother the goos, there's nothing to stop them breeding in their habitat, especially if you wrap yourself in that blanket and then cuddle the goos. I've had moths appear in my gerbil burrows before, and I found out the person I bought my place from had cats when the eggs in the carpets produced fleas that had a preference for me. As for the camping, it's bloody chilly out there tonight Ita chilli In doors too I've got a hot water bottle!
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 9:37:03 GMT
I have also found red crawling things when I disinfected the bird cage this morning!
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 12:21:00 GMT
yasmin do you know of there ate any sprays or powders to use for carpets and sofas? most of the stuff I found is for fleas. But would be handy to have for my sofa abd bathroom carpet also any known disinfectant spray I cam use on the degu cage that would kill off mites as there cage is entirely of wood!!
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Post by moletteuk on Sept 27, 2015 12:52:15 GMT
As far as I know, most mites can only colonise the species they are designed for, but may have a go at another species like humans or degus, but couldn't survive for long on only that species. I think the trick is going to be getting into all the crevices of the cages to eliminate all the mites, they really love any and all cracks and crevices.
The Xeno spot on stuff is the best quality ivermectin, my vet switched to this from the injections for small animals. I thought the spacing of the applications was more like 10 days than two weeks, so you'll have to keep an eye on symptoms.
I just had a look and the first pet anti mite spray that pops in my results seems to use permethrin as the insecticide. This is a multi purpose insecticide and should kill all mites, fleas, little bugs etc. I know it's very toxic to fish, but I guess the concentration is strictly measured for what is safe to apply directly to pets and their housing. I don't know if you could use a stronger household version around the room, I've bough it in aerosol from Wilkinsons before. If you have to dismantle the room (and maybe the degu cages to get in all the wood joins) you could use a strong version on all inaccessible places and move all the pets out of the room while you do it and then open all the windows to clear it from the air.
Maybe you can set up traps in the cages by just lying a piece of wood or tile, something flat, that will attract the bugs to the narrow space?
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 13:03:43 GMT
As far as I know, most mites can only colonise the species they are designed for, but may have a go at another species like humans or degus, but couldn't survive for long on only that species. I think the trick is going to be getting into all the crevices of the cages to eliminate all the mites, they really love any and all cracks and crevices. The Xeno spot on stuff is the best quality ivermectin, my vet switched to this from the injections for small animals. I thought the spacing of the applications was more like 10 days than two weeks, so you'll have to keep an eye on symptoms. I just had a look and the first pet anti mite spray that pops in my results seems to use permethrin as the insecticide. This is a multi purpose insecticide and should kill all mites, fleas, little bugs etc. I know it's very toxic to fish, but I guess the concentration is strictly measured for what is safe to apply directly to pets and their housing. I don't know if you could use a stronger household version around the room, I've bough it in aerosol from Wilkinsons before. If you have to dismantle the room (and maybe the degu cages to get in all the wood joins) you could use a strong version on all inaccessible places and move all the pets out of the room while you do it and then open all the windows to clear it from the air. Maybe you can set up traps in the cages by just lying a piece of wood or tile, something flat, that will attract the bugs to the narrow space? Hello. The vet gave me a small bottle of that pethermine stuff you Said about I.used it in one cleaning I.do have tiles In the degus cage so I might have a peek and see if there's any there. I'm short on cages to be able to move every animal out of the room to really have a go at the degu cage but I make sure sprayed any crack with the spray and when over the whole cage with boilling water. The degus have been very sleepy since the spot on..... I think there miserable because all of their toys have gone. Do you think I could get away with boil washing their hammocks and ropes? They have been sprayed with insecticide and r sat in my bathroom at the moment I've given the house and budgie cage another good clean today! I'm.so stressed I don't want to be in my own house right now I can't bare to sit on the sofa properly.
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Post by moletteuk on Sept 27, 2015 15:36:42 GMT
I'd be just the same Chloe, I really feel for you.
Boil washing should kill mites, but as Yasmin said ropes are a favourite place for them, they might recolonise them quite quickly, so you might be best getting rid of any ropes. Do a really hot wash on all the fabrics you can. It seems like cedar and tea tree oil are quite good deterrents. I've just read that permethrin is very poisonous to cats as well as fish, so watch out for that.
It might be the spot on itself that is affecting the goos, it's quite nasty chemical stuff that goes right through their whole system so could well make them feel a bit off colour.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 15:40:16 GMT
The degus seem to have perked up a bit now the poor birds are itching like mad and so am I! Been and bought fabric sprays for the fabric die the bedroom and bathroom hubby's juat sorting his fish out then we're going to cover them.over and spray the sofa tonight I can see some mites lice what ever thay are gathering in the cage cracks again . I've had bo help on the budgie forum. I don't want to be at home.
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Post by Bexi87 on Sept 27, 2015 15:50:58 GMT
Oh it sounds horrible Chloe I hope you get it sorted soon
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Post by moletteuk on Sept 27, 2015 15:58:55 GMT
Can you find a better budgie forum, there must be more than one? The vet should be able to give you more advice too. I've never dealt with mites, so I'm not sure what to suggest.
Have you got any stuff you can spray direct on the budgies, right under their wings? And then hoover the little b'stards up as they drop off?
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 16:14:21 GMT
No there is stuff you ca buy over the counter but I'm wary of useing it they've has a dose of spot on treatment yesterday too so I don't want to od them on chemicals
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Post by bouncy on Sept 27, 2015 17:43:16 GMT
It's a horrible situation, and I really feel for you. I know what you mean about the chemicals, but I've not come across anything natural to get rid of them, once infected. Very important to get the furnishings sorted, though, especially if you think your landlord will go mental. Unfortunately, the fleas were so well embedded in my place, I had to rip up the carpets Just keep thinking about how happy you'll all be when this is sorted x
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 27, 2015 19:12:51 GMT
What about perhaps using a steam machine, if something like that could be rented? Steam is something they are now using to kill bed bugs because the heat is so intense and it permeates everything so well, so it will go through fabrics and tiny cracks, and I would think even into the wood to a degree. On top of that, there is no additional chemical weight being added to the load already present.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 27, 2015 21:47:15 GMT
What about perhaps using a steam machine, if something like that could be rented? Steam is something they are now using to kill bed bugs because the heat is so intense and it permeates everything so well, so it will go through fabrics and tiny cracks, and I would think even into the wood to a degree. On top of that, there is no additional chemical weight being added to the load already present. What a brilliant idea!! I also read that eucalyptus oil is a natural repellant so I'm going to but some and spray our mattress with it! I'll have had is the feeling that I'm covered in crawly things horrid
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Post by yasmin on Sept 28, 2015 7:51:00 GMT
yasmin do you know of there ate any sprays or powders to use for carpets and sofas? most of the stuff I found is for fleas. But would be handy to have for my sofa abd bathroom carpet also any known disinfectant spray I cam use on the degu cage that would kill off mites as there cage is entirely of wood!! I'm sorry, but I don't know of any. It now sounds like there might be at least two issues going on here – mites and lice – and if they are everywhere in the apartment, it may be more than a bird issue. A professional exterminator may need to be brought in. In all my decades of having budgies, I have never heard of their parasites crawling all over their humans. You have two budgies – not an aviary. This is all so very strange. You need to ring up your vet – you will probably get the best advice from them. Decent budgie forums are hard to find. I have been very rudely treated on them before. I have found one forum where the people are at least nice – budgerigarsforum.proboards.com.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Sept 28, 2015 8:46:32 GMT
yasmin do you know of there ate any sprays or powders to use for carpets and sofas? most of the stuff I found is for fleas. But would be handy to have for my sofa abd bathroom carpet also any known disinfectant spray I cam use on the degu cage that would kill off mites as there cage is entirely of wood!! I'm sorry, but I don't know of any. It now sounds like there might be at least two issues going on here – mites and lice – and if they are everywhere in the apartment, it may be more than a bird issue. A professional exterminator may need to be brought in. In all my decades of having budgies, I have never heard of their parasites crawling all over their humans. You have two budgies – not an aviary. This is all so very strange. You need to ring up your vet – you will probably get the best advice from them. Decent budgie forums are hard to find. I have been very rudely treated on them before. I have found one forum where the people are at least nice – budgerigarsforum.proboards.com. This is rhe forum I was told I was over reacting on and that I had scabies........ I think they were on me because I used the blanket to cover my self that I used to cover the bird cage! Ah its horrible.
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